(Credit: Steven Harris)

Lisette Oropesa has canceled her first performance of Rossini’s “Il Turco in Italia” due to illness.

The soprano took to social media and said, “Dear friends, I’m so very sorry to share that I’ve come down with a case of the flu which prevents me from singing the premiere of ‘Il Turco in Italia’ here in Madrid at the Teatro Real. After 2 days with fever and severe cough, I tested positive for Flu B, and with a doctor’s guidance, we made the difficult decision to cancel my performance on May 31st, with the hope that I will be well enough to sing on June 4th. I am so grateful to my colleagues Sara Blanch and Sabina Puértolas who will sing the first few performances of Fiorilla, and they are both AMAZING! Sending gratitude to the theatre and all my colleagues for their support!”

As a result, Sara Blanch will open the production on May 31 and June 2, while Sabina Puértolas will sing on June 1 and 3, 2023.

“Il Turoc in Italia” opens on May 31 and will run through June 12, 2023. Oropesa is still scheduled to perform on June 4, 6, 9, 12, 2023.